GeoSea, DEME’s specialist company in complex offshore marine engineering projects, has awarded a major contract to Manchester company Granada Material Handling Ltd to design, manufacture, deliver and commission 56 davit crane units for the Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, located 27 km off the Suffolk coast. Each of the Granada ‘Python’ crane units has been specifically designed for the Galloper offshore wind farm and the challenging marine environment in which it will operate. One ‘Python’ crane unit will be fitted to each of the 56 transition piece platforms.

Mark Sidwell, director of Granada Material Handling Ltd, added:

“We are extremely pleased to have been awarded another prestigious UK wind farm project. Securing this contract has been a real team effort by the Granada Renewable product and service division. The Galloper contract is not only great news for Granada but also for our UK based supply chain. Granada has ambitious plans for this market sector and having supplied over 500 offshore davits is the UK’s leading offshore wind farm davit crane supplier’.

By awarding contracts to the UK supply chain, DEME is helping to support the UK and Scottish governments’ objectives to maximise the UK content of offshore wind farms.

Alan Gerrett, Resident Manager UK, says:

“DEME Group’s involvement in the UK offshore business dates back to the early years of offshore wind. The company has already worked on many UK projects like Greater Gabbard, London Array, Gwynt y Môr, Ormonde, Blyth, Walney I + II, Teesside, Humber Gateway, Rhyl Flats, Westermost Rough, West of Duddon Sands and Kentish Flats.

Granada Material Handling Ltd has been contracted to design, supply, third party certify, deliver, and commission 56 individual crane units. Each Python crane unit measures approximately 4 meters in height, 4.3 meters in radius, and weighs 1500kgs. The maximum lifting capacity of 1500kgs is needed to hoist the heavier serviceable components from the supply vessel to the laydown area on the platforms of the transition piece platform. The crane units have been specifically designed with an emphasis on health & safety and the operator’s needs, and are a unique design to Granada Material Handling.

We are currently working with designers, wind farm developers and turbine manufacturers to further enhance the product range to ensure the very latest developments in lifting technology are made available to the rapidly expanding and ever developing offshore renewable market.”

The company is already now looking to place orders and sub-contract specialist areas of work to other UK businesses, and will deliver the crane units over a 6-month period.

The construction of the Galloper offshore wind project brings the UK a step closer to achieving significant clean energy and carbon reduction benefits. The estimated annual production is expected to be equivalent to the domestic needs of approximately 336,000 average UK households. To achieve this target, 56 6 MW turbines will be installed.